Youth Psychiatric Hospitalization in Israel during COVID-19: A Multi-Center Study

Chen Dror (), Nimrod Hertz-Palmor (), Yael Barzilai, Schoen Gila, Bretler-Zager Tali, Gizunterman Alex, Lahav Tal, Kritchmann-Lupo Maya, Saker Talia, Gothelf Doron and Yuval Bloch
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Chen Dror: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon 45100, Israel
Nimrod Hertz-Palmor: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Yael Barzilai: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon 45100, Israel
Schoen Gila: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Bretler-Zager Tali: Ziv Medical Center (Safed), Safed 13100, Israel
Gizunterman Alex: Eitanim Mental Health Center, Harav Rafael Katzalbogen, Jerusalem 9097200, Israel
Lahav Tal: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Kritchmann-Lupo Maya: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon 45100, Israel
Saker Talia: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon 45100, Israel
Gothelf Doron: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Yuval Bloch: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon 45100, Israel

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-9

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic there have been numerous reports of increases in psychiatric morbidity and a deterioration of status among existing patients. There is little information about how this increase has affected youth and rates of adolescent psychiatric hospitalization. Our study was aimed at examining trends in youth psychiatric hospitalization during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We used medical records to compare trends in hospitalization rates from 2019 to 2020, among psychiatric youth wards from five different centers in Israel. Results: The number of patients that were hospitalized in youth psychiatric wards decreased significantly from 2019 ( Mean ± SD =52.2 ± 28.6 per month) to 2020 ( M ± SD = 40.8 ± 22.0; unstandardized B = −11.4, 95% CI = −14.4 to −8.3, p < 0.0001). There was a significant decrease in the number of patients that were hospitalized due to internalizing disorders from 2019 ( M ± SD = 22.3 ± 9.3 per month) to 2020 ( M ± SD = 16.8 ± 7.7; B = −5.5, 95% CI = −8.0 to −3.0, p = 0.0002) and a marginally significant increase in the number of restraints per month (2019: M ± SD = 2.8 ± 6.8, 2020: M ± SD = 9.0 ± 14.5; Z = −1.96, Rosenthal’s r = 0.36, p = 0.07). Conclusions: There was a significant decline in psychiatric hospitalizations during the pandemic, specifically among patients suffering from internalizing disorders. The reasons for this decline, and the future impact these changes had on hospitalizations during the pandemic demand further research. Study limitations: This is a retrospective multicenter study from five medical centers in Israel, therefore generalizability of our findings is limited.

Keywords: COVID-19; psychiatric hospitalization; restrictive measures; internalizing disorders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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